Early-Fatherhood in White City, Jabavu, Soweto: a Time-Bound, Contextual Construct Naledi Selebano and Grace Khunou*

Send Orders for Reprints to [email protected] 24 The Open Family Studies Journal, 2014, 6, (Suppl 1: M3) 24-30 Open Access Early-Fatherhood in White City, Jabavu, Soweto: A Time-Bound, Contextual Construct Naledi Selebano and Grace Khunou* University of Johannesburg, Kingsway and University Rds, Auckland Park, South Africa Abstract: While young mothers have enjoyed the interests of researchers and policy makers, young fathers’ experiences have only been examined recently. Through a thematic content analysis of interviews with six black young fathers from White City, Jabavu in Soweto, this article argues that early fatherhood should be understood through an examination of how it is lived in the social, political, cultural and economic contexts of particular communities. The data from this study indicate that there are strong ties between the young men’s experiences and the overall community values, history and culture where they experience fatherhood. The article concludes that for appropriate policies and strategies to be implemented where young fathers are concerned, more context specific research should be conducted. Keywords: Early fatherhood, socio-economic context, White City Jabavu, young fathers’ experiences. INTRODUCTION presents contemporary South Africa with many challenges such as a high unemployment rate among black people. When public discourse and research refer to teenage Recent statistics show that the unemployment rate stands at pregnancy and early-parenthood, the dialogue typically 35.6% for black people, 22.3% for coloureds, and 11.7% for focuses on young women [1]. The South African Department Indians and Asians and only at 5.9% for white people [7]. of Education’s most recent analysis of teenage pregnancy examined teenage fathers and their attitudes towards early Socio-economic and political factors play a significant fatherhood [2]. The report indicates that the risk factors role in informing our understanding of fatherhood. In a associated with teenage pregnancy for young women are developing country such as South Africa, the social and similarly applicable to young men [2]. Findings [3] indicate economic elements are important to consider when defining the significant gap posed by the lack of research on young fatherhood [8]. Thus, the socio-historical context in which fathers as they face many negative educational, financial, the definition is provided should be considered and should social, health and other developmental consequences. The include issues of class, race and sexual orientation [9]. Some high teenage pregnancy rate and the high number of illegal cultures allow fathers to be active in the day to day rearing of abortions done out of fear by young girls clearly indicate that their children while others allow them to be passive and more interventions must take place for young men [4]. Such sometimes, absent. For example, the migrant labour system interventions will allow for more support from young men that was prevalent in apartheid South Africa compelled men facing the possibility of early-fatherhood. to leave their homes to work in the mines [5]. Consequently, father’s absence is acceptable in modern day South Africa. Interventions for young fathers will also begin to address Another legacy of the migrant labour system is defining the negative experiences [5] associated with early- fatherhood predominantly as an act of providing financial fatherhood. Even though this negativity led to a focus on support to the children [2]. Moreover, research demonstrates early-fatherhood depression, stress, dependency and reckless that compared to other groups, blacks are much more likely behaviour, a need also exists to look into the resilience that to be poorer and have pitiable access to healthcare, some of the young, poor fathers present. Scholars [5] also educational and psychosocial resources [10, 11]. found that some of the young men in their study had strong social networks but needed further societal support. By Again, ‘fatherhood’ has undergone a variety of changes contributing financially to the well-being of their children, throughout South African history. During pre-colonial times, young fathers find an affirmation of the self [5]. fathers were seen mainly as protectors and providers [12]. In these early contexts families and society in general feared Issues of affirmation of the self for black men in South and respected the father as the ultimate symbol of power [6]. Africa cannot be divorced from colonial and apartheid Fathers had to spend time with their children to exercise history and its negative effects on experiences of fatherhood authority over them. The father had also the responsibility to [6]. For example, the unequal distribution of resources across provide for the family and guide children by making different racial groups and genders during the apartheid era important decisions on their behalf such as when to get married [6]. These roles were based on assumptions that *Address correspondence to this author at the University of Johannesburg, fathers displayed particular qualities. These qualities include; Kingsway and University Rds, Auckland Park, South Africa; protecting, supervising, defending, supporting, educating and Tel: 011 559 3346; E-mail: [email protected] shielding from harm [13]. However, research rightly 1874-9224/14 2014 Bentham Open Early-Fatherhood in White City, Jabavu, Soweto The Open Family Studies Journal, 2014, Volume 6 25 maintains that fatherhood means different things in different programmes and arts and culture. It however, proved contexts and the definitions are also time-bound [9]. difficult to get all the participants from Ipelegeng, as only one participant from the youth centre agreed to participate in For example, little knowledge exists about processes the study. The other two identified from Ipelegeng refused leading to the age that young men enter into fatherhood. In a New Zealand study with young men events that lead to involvement as they did not regard themselves as young fathers. One denied the paternity of the child while the other fatherhood prior to the age of 26 were identified as one lost the baby when it was two months old. No one else significant [14, 15]. The study revealed that most young from the youth centre fitted the selection criteria for the fathers engaged in sexual activities early in their lives, most study; as a result we used the snowballing selection method. often commencing at 14 years of age. However, another Snowballing refers to finding participants through referrals scholar [14] contends the difficulty of distinguishing an age cohort that comprises of young fathers because of the from other participants [18]. Furthermore, this type of sampling usually applies when the already sampled cases complexities associated with the concept of fatherhood itself. know others with similar characteristics. The one participant Similar to the definitions of fatherhood, ‘young-fatherhood’ from Ipelegeng and another one used for piloting referred also depends on the socio-cultural context within its more participants to us during the course of the study. definition. The appropriate ages selected for transitions to different social roles influence these decisions. Examples The interviews lasted for over an hour after which we include roles such as working, parenting and being marriage transcribed and analysed them using the thematic content compatible [14]. analysis [19]. The analysis went beyond emerging themes and we discussed it in a way that indicates the connections From the evidence provided by Pears et al. [14] and Jaffe and synthesis with already existing work on the topic [19]. et al. [15], we argue that viewing men through an We used pseudonyms to protect the identity and integrity of environmental focus best observe the transitions to early- fatherhood. Individual internal and external assets require the participants. Furthermore, the University of the Witwatersrand non-medical ethics committee provided exploring as experiences differ from situation to situation ethical clearance for this study. [5]. In spite of the amount of resilience demonstrated by researchers [5], many studies show low academic Research Site: Contextualizing White City, Jabavu, performance and achievement, deviant behaviour at school, Soweto drug problems, and school dropout as the intrapersonal effects of early-fatherhood [3, 14, 15]. In qualitative research, understanding the social context in which people produce ideas and knowledge is important Despite these obstacles, research shows that young [18]. An apartheid separatist policy that sought to segregate fathers in South Africa hold a deep sense of responsibility black people and reserve the city for whites and mainly for towards their children [2]. However, in other cases, the economic activity gave birth to Soweto. As a consequence of young men simply show no interest and did not successfully the introduction of the White City area, a campaign to transit from boyhood to manhood [16]. When parents terminate the overcrowded, poverty-stricken and filthy highjack the father’s responsibilities young fathers become squatter camps resulted in the splitting of residents of Jabavu ‘almost absent’ as a result of feelings of inadequacy, internal across White City, Jabulani, Moletsane, Naledi, Senaoane conflict and fractioned transitions [2, 17]. This study used and Dlamini [20]. the qualitative research approach in establishing how young fathers cope with early-fatherhood in township contexts

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